Brazilian Courts Order Destruction of Sand Castle Operation Evidence

09/04/2017 - 11h21

The Federal Courts of Brazil ordered the destruction of the evidence obtained in the Operation Sand Castle, begun in 2009 and which could have brought forward the discovery of crimes investigated in the Lava Jato Operation, as it aimed construction companies and politicians suspected of corruption.

The collection to be destroyed includes documents, spreadsheets, manuscripts and emails seized in the homes and offices of former executives of construction company Camargo Correa, as well as recorded conversations wiretapped by the Federal Police.

At the time, the material led to the begging of more than 50 investigations in several Brazilian states.

The destruction of the material was ordered on August 10 at the request of the defense of three former directors of Camargo Correa - they sustained that the evidence was annulled in a trial at the Superior Court of Justice in 2011.

The decision occurs as the Operation Sand Castle becomes the theme of the plea bargain of former finance minister Antonio Palocci with the Prosecutor General's Office, as disclosed by Folha on August 26.

Palocci said during the negotiations with prosecutors that the former president of the Superior Court of Justice, Cesar Asfor Rocha, received bribes of at least R$ 5 million (US$ 1.5 million) from Camargo Correa to block the operation.

Asfor Rocha and Camargo Correa deny having committed crimes connected to the operation.

The order that authorized the destruction of the material was signed by federal judge Diego Paes Moreira, of the 6th Federal Criminal Court of São Paulo, following a petition by Darcio Brunato, Fernando Dias Gomes and Pietro Giavina-Bianchi, executives of the construction company.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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	Ruy Baron - 19.out.2009/Valor
	Former president of the Superior Court of Justice Cesar Asfor Rocha